


At This Point In Time

by elizainlove



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Friendship/Love, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-25
Updated: 2014-11-25
Packaged: 2018-02-27 00:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2672522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizainlove/pseuds/elizainlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lord Grantham takes his servants to Germany for a while after the death of his German cousin- he and his family are safe because of his connections...never find the staff.<br/>Thomas and Jimmy run into some trouble.</p>
<p>'The soldier laughed again and Thomas looked over his shoulder at them. <br/>One of them wolf-whistled and yelled “schmutzig wenig schwul Englisch”'</p>
            </blockquote>





	At This Point In Time

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I have completely ignored time frames but this is set around the time the Nazi's were really starting to gain momentum (but in my universe Thomas and Jimmy are only a few years older than they are now).
> 
> Oh, and i had to use Google translate as i don't speak German- but there are only two lines of it so don't worry too much :)
> 
> Genießen.

Thomas stiffened, attempting to ignore the feeling of the Nazi Officers eyes on his back- they were laughing. Thomas knew why. 

The family had gone to Germany for a family funeral but had insisted that they stay for a while. They had said that they were safe because of their family connections- His Lordship clearly hadn’t given a moment’s thought about how his servants would fare. 

He hadn’t thought about Thomas and Jimmy, who had both fought in the war. He hadn’t thought about how it would affect them to see the damage and to be surrounded by people they might have shot at. 

He hadn’t thought about Thomas and Jimmy in the fact they were a couple. And it was more dangerous than ever before to be homosexual in Germany at this point in time- the Nazi’s were gaining power. 

Lord Grantham didn’t know they were together, Thomas didn’t doubt the fact he even knew Jimmy was like him, but the fact he hadn’t taken Thomas into consideration irked him. He had put him in danger just so he could have comfort for a few weeks.

The soldier laughed again and Thomas looked over his shoulder at them. 

One of them winked and wolf-whistled while the other smirked and yelled “schmutzig wenig schwul Englisch” and then spat on the ground. A few German people looked around at him in interest.

Thomas got the message.

He turned back to the small group of servants who were enjoying mulled wine in a little huddle against the cold and said quietly “We need to leave”

“Why? Is everyone having too much fun?” Mr Bates said dryly

“No” Thomas said shortly before turning his face ever so slightly to look at Jimmy “Or at least we do anyway”

This made the mocking look on Bates’ face vanish and a concerned frown replaced it. He was about to talk again when the Officers, as if to underline Thomas point yelled “Kotig little quveers”

Anna’s eyes widened as the two Officers began to laugh and jeer again. 

They had all heard the rumours about what was happening. The mysterious places that Jews were all being rounded up and sent to for ‘a better life’, never to be seen again. There had also been talk about the Nazi’s sending homosexuals to these places too, this detail, above all else, was what was sounding alarm bells for everyone receiving the Chinese whispers information- no one would be sending fruits away for a better life. 

The news had got back to Downton through Atticus Aldridge on one of his visits with his friends. He had been uncertain about what was going on but not optimistic, where as his two friends had expressed their opinions that “The whole thing sounds dreadful, and I agree with you Atticus that the Jews should be protected” He said and took a sip from his glass and Thomas clenched his jaw, knowing what was about to be said “But do we really need to be bothered about the queers? I mean they’re very living is illegal so we might as well let the Nazi’s at them”

Thomas stood stock still, a muscle going in his neck as he tried to ignore the nervous glances Mary and Lord Grantham were shooting him. 

In the end Jimmy solved the problem by ‘accidently’ spilling hot soup on the idiots lap.

Back in the present and Thomas’ heart began to thump against his ribs and he could tell Jimmy was looking at him with terrified eyes “Stop staring- you’ll get us into more trouble”

Mrs Hughes nodded suddenly from her position beside Thomas and said loudly to everyone “Okay, time to get back to the house I think”

She was met with varying reactions of disappointment but everyone started to walk anyhow.

“Jimmy why don’t you walk with me?” Anna said, linking her arm in his “And Thomas can go and walk with Daisy up ahead”

Thomas nodded and clenched his hands into fists to try and stop them visibly shaking- they couldn’t stay here any longer, not if they were to be safe.

XXX

“My lord” Thomas faltered as he opened the door to the library “I wondered if James and I might have a word with you” when he saw Lady Rose and Mr Aldridge there too he added hastily “In private”

Lord Grantham frowned, sighed and then gestured to his two companions “Only if they don’t mind?”

“Oh not at all” Lady Rose spoke up brightly, standing up immediately “We can go explore the house some more” with that they exited past Thomas and Jimmy who in exchange made their way further into the room.

“Well, what’s this about then? No more bad news I hope?”

This annoyed Thomas, he had barley known his cousin yet he had put Thomas and Jimmy in danger. Lord Grantham truly didn’t care about what was going on in the world as long as it didn’t affect his small bubble.

Yet Thomas swallowed all this and said instead “I am afraid so my Lord” He glanced sideways at Jimmy before saying tentatively “James and I… uh… we need to leave”

“I’m sorry?” 

“We have been having trouble with… ah that is to say I have been having some trouble with…” He trailed off, not knowing how to put it

Jimmy spoke up in his stead “Thomas and I have been having some run-ins with the Nazi Officers- on multiple occasions and neither of us feel safe staying here any longer”

There was a long pause where Lord Grantham only looked at a spot on the carpet “Run-ins” he repeated slowly “With the Nazi Officers”

“Yes, my Lord” Thomas said

“Why exactly? What have you been doing?” another flame of irritation roared inside Thomas again but he supressed it

“Nothing, my Lord. It’s just, they’re looking for us” He corrected himself hastily “For people like us, like me- to send to the, the uh, the same places as the Jews”

Lord Grantham started between them before gaping “You mean to tell me that the two of you? After the trouble James caused all those years ago?”

“Yes, my Lord” Jimmy blushed and looked at the floor “We really aren’t safe here”

“But how can they tell? Are you sure you’re not just being paranoid, man?” He directed the question to Jimmy 

“No, my Lord. The officers are on the lookout for people like us you see, so they spot it more easily than a normal man or woman would” 

“We’ve had quite a few situations where they have cat-called or yelled at us, my Lord” Thomas added just to be sure

Lord Grantham looked at the spot of the rug again, frowning “And you’re quite sure?”

“Yes, my Lord” both Thomas and Jimmy answered together 

He nodded once before saying “You can return to Downton tomorrow morning but rest assured that we will be talking about this situation when I return”

XXXXX

“Bates” 

Mr Bates stopped and turned as the voice of Lord Grantham haled him from down the corridor 

“Yes, My Lord?” he leaned on his stick and tried to ignore the dull ach in his leg

“Can I have a work?” He directed them into a spare bedroom up the hall and then said pointedly “Its about Barrow and James”

“Ah” Mr Bates said warily “I take it they have spoken to you already, then?”

“You mean you knew? For god sake why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t feel it was my place, My Lord”

There was a moments silence before Lord Grantham said “yes I suppose you’re right. They are together though? I didn’t mind having Thomas under my employment, but I must confess myself uneasy as to knowing they are together. Shall I take it they partake in acts that ordinarily married couples do?”

Bates frowned slightly “I would assume so, My Lord- however I would hardly call myself close with either Thomas or James so they are unlikely to ever tell me for certain”

“Of course, of course” Lord Grantham waved a dismissive hand and silence fell again “How long?”

“I would guess it started about two years after the incident. They would have been friends a year by that time”

Lord Grantham sat on the edge of the unfamiliar bed with a troubled sigh “So It’s not a recent arrangement? They have been together quite some years…” He ran a hand absentmindedly through his hair, completely disregarding ‘proper’ behaviour “I would feel very badly about splitting them” he grunted and continued “Tell me about the situations they say they have been facing with the Officers”

“I have only been present for one, however I would agree that if we had stayed much longer they would have been under considerable threat. The situation was unpleasant at best…” He trailed off but at a gesture from Lord Grantham added “There were two officers who were heckling Thomas and James. They were speaking both in German and occasional English so everyone surrounding us knew what they were speaking of”

“Right”

“Thomas noticed first and got James and the rest of us out before any real harm could happen”

“So you think they were indeed in danger? That these places are real?”

“Unfortunately, yes, My Lord”

“Do you think this danger will follow them to England or will they be safe beyond the Abbey?” He seemed to be talking partly to himself but Bates decided to reply

“I doubt the danger will follow but they would be unlikely to find another position together” He couldn’t help but frown “Pardon me, My Lord, but does this mean you are considering disposing of their service’s?”

“Don’t look at me like that” His Lordship spoke harshly “They aren’t taking into consideration what would happen to me and my family if they were to be caught- the scandal would stain our family for years to come”

“I understand that, My Lord, and of course I can only speak from a little experience, but when Mrs Bates and I thought we couldn’t be together until I got divorced, we both struggled greatly it. If Thomas and James love each other as much as Mrs Bates and I love one another, as I believe they do, I can’t imagine they would stop at anything to be together. They run great personal risks as it is” His frown deepened “if ever they were to be caught, they would suffer in prison far beyond anything I ever dealt with”

Lord Grantham sat, his face blank for a moment before saying “You’re right of course, and I would never wish that on any man…but the fact remains that I am knowingly harbouring two law breakers”

Mr Bates clutched his stick and waited to be dismissed from the room

“I’ve sent them back to Downton for the time being, but I am yet to decide what to do with them”

Bates nodded “I ask, My Lord, that you take into consideration what I have said, and imagine what it would be like if the tables were turned”

Lord Grantham got up and walked to the door, frowning more than ever. The conversation was over.

XXX

Jimmy’s head fell against Thomas’ shoulder as they travelled back towards England- their train had been stopped once so far by Officers and Thomas hoped that would be it. He hadn’t liked the smirk a young, blonde man had given Jimmy. “Oi” Thomas jiggled his shoulder to wake the other man up “Now is unfortunately not the time to be sitting so close to me”

“mmm” Jimmy mumbled sleepily, but he nodded and scooted over in his seat to rest the side of the face against the carriage wall instead “I hate Nazi’s”

Thomas smirked but looked towards the window into the hall to double check that they were, in fact, alone “I wouldn’t go saying that too loudly”

“mmmsorry” he said sleepily.

The two of them had set off at the crack of dawn and caught the first train they could. Thomas was sure the fact they hadn’t stayed to serve breakfast would serve as yet another reason to fire them when the Grantham’s returned but he couldn’t bring himself to care. They were going to be safe. All they had to do was get across the border and switch to and English train, then he could relax slightly.

Sure enough they were searched and papers were demanded once more when they were nearing the border- but they passed the inspection and were soon on English soil. 

“Just think” Jimmy murmmered into Thomas ear from their seats in the back on and English taxi “We get to have the whole of the men’s quarters to ourselves for a week”

Thomas grinned “I can make you scream all night and we won’t be interrupted” he sighed “If only the maids and hall-boys weren’t still there we could have the run of the whole Abbey- just picture the things we could do in the library” he winked and up ahead of Jimmy who let out a frustrated noise

“Argh Thomas you’re killin me!”


End file.
